It’s hard to think of two careers suited to more opposing temperaments than dentistry and massage therapy. The former conjures images of uptight, brightly-lit environments and a tense, physically uncomfortable customer experience. The latter connotes dimly lit relaxation and casual, pleasant interactions.

But, among the insights to be gleaned from Lynn Shelton’s new movie “Touchy Feely” is that these jobs, held by its brother-and-sister main characters, have more in common than you might think. They each involve a healing practice dependent on intimate physical contact, and the fact that going to the dentist is seen as a chore, while getting a massage is an indulgence, is a curious social paradox.

That’s not entirely what “Touchy Feely” is about, though. Yes, it centers on dentist Paul (Josh Pais) and massage therapist Abby (Rosemarie DeWitt), siblings who experience juxtaposed epiphanies. She’s emotionally relaxed and centered until a mysterious revulsion towards human skin gets in the way of her work and her relationship with cyclist Jesse (Scoot McNairy). At the same time, Paul, assisted by his grown daughter Jenny (Ellen Page), discovers he has the unexplained ability to treat chronic pain, providing a boost to his moribund practice.

It’s apparent that Abby’s troubles are rooted in her fear of commitment—she’s on the verge of moving in with Jesse—while Paul’s stem from his inability to let go of Jenny, who has no desire to be the dutiful dentist’s daughter forever. But the performances, especially Pais’ combination of physical awkwardness and repressed pathos, carve unique personalities out of what could have been mere tropes.

Writer-director-editor Lynn Shelton tells a typically modest story, here, where the only things really at stake are the emotional states of its characters. But that turns out to be more than enough as, with the help of a couple of ecstasy pills, events build toward some sort of catharsis.

Shelton, also typically, uses her hometown of Seattle to splendid effect, spotlighting its funky neighborhoods and comforting gray skies rather instead of its flashier aspects. (It’s also the sort of place where a couple consisting of a massage therapist and a bike shop employee is practically mundane.) “Touchy Feely” is more of a scripted affair than her previous films, which include “Humpday” and “Your Sister’s Sister,” but it doesn’t surrender their naturalistic feel.

Veteran performers Alison Janney, as Abby’s reiki-practicing pal, and Ron Livingston, as an old boyfriend of Abby’s, contribute solid supporting work. But the real showstopper is Tomo Nakayama, a Seattle musician who plays Henry, a friend of Jenny’s who gets his singing voice back after seeing her father. When he reappears in the film’s final act, his presence is a revelation, tying an effective little bow around this unassuming but highly enjoyable package.

(Shelton and Nakayama are scheduled to attend Friday night's screenings
of "Touchy Feely" at the Hollywood Theatre.)